HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING: Steinert tops township rival Nottingham

By KEN WEINGARTNER, For The Trentonian

Monday, January 28, 2013

HAMILTON — The seed for Steinert High’s wrestling win over township rival Nottingham last night might have been planted over the weekend.

The Spartans posted a 43-24 victory over Nottingham in a clash between two of the Colonial Valley Conference’s top squads. Nate Benitez, who lifted Steinert to a win over Collingswood on Saturday, played a key role in the triumph, pinning nemesis Josh Magee at 5:55 in their bout at 120 pounds.

Benitez, a junior, was 0-3 against Magee during his scholastic career, losing 7-0 as a sophomore and twice by narrow decisions as a freshman. But after knocking off Collingswood’s Donnie Daly, 5-2, on Saturday to avenge an 11-1 loss earlier this season and give the Spartans a 34-33 victory, Benitez was full of confidence.

“I knew he beat me freshman and sophomore year; I was just trying to get that pin,” Benitez said. “My teammates were telling me you can beat this kid. Beating (Daly) definitely boosted up my confidence. I knew (Magee) was giving up weight, so that was a bigger confidence booster.

“Once I scored in the first period, I thought I was in the match and could win. In the third period, I thought there was no way I’m losing this match. I just finished it with the pin.”

Magee, who entered the match with a 21-3 record, was wrestling at 120 for the first time after going at 113 in all his previous bouts.

Benitez, who improved to 9-8 this season, got a reversal with 30 seconds remaining in the second period to take a 4-3 lead and added an escape and takedown in the third prior to getting the pin, which gave Steinert an 18-9 lead.

“Nate has just been coming on strong,” Spartans coach Adam Jankos said. “Even last weekend he wrestled against Collingswood and the match came down to him. He had a tough kid and he came back and got the win for the team. Nate’s confidence just flew through the roof. He’s much more confident now that he can get physical with somebody, break somebody, and then finish them off. That’s what he did tonight and it was a game changer for us.”

Jon Bussi got Steinert (12-4 overall, 9-1 CVC) off to a winning start with a pin at 220. Nottingham (16-8, 10-2) tied the score, 6-6, when Reggie Charles received a forfeit and took a 9-6 lead when Tom Schroth won a decision at 106. Brandon Cray’s pin at 113 put the Spartans on top for good, 12-9, and Benitez’s pin extended the advantage to nine.

Waleed Abouelela’s pin gave Nottingham its final points of the night as the Spartans’ Matt McDonald, Austin Van Cleaf and River Ullrich won the last three bouts. Ullrich is 18-0 this season.

“We have different people stepping up for us and everyone’s been doing a great job,” Ullrich said. “Nate, since the weekend, he just started opening up and he’s doing really good. He’s looking more confident out there. His pin really lit me up. He stepped up big time. This feels great.”